Cartridge



CARTRIDGE Filed Sept. 15, 1965 mvsmoas PETER N. LEN JOSEPH A. RINEHART ATTORNEYS AUSTIN M. WORT'LEY,JR.

United States Patent 3,349,707 CARTRIDGE Austin M. Wortley, Jr., Devon, Peter N. Lensi, Chester S rings, and Joseph A. Rinehart, Exton, Pa., assignors to Penguin Associates, Inc., Malvern, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 487,859 2 Claims. (Cl. 10237.6)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cartridge which explodes twice, once at the gun and once at the target, for scaring birds away from airports and away from crops on farms, comprising a cartridge case, a propellant charge, a projectile positioned forwardly of the propellant charge containing a detonation mix, a fuse extending from the propellant charge into the detonation mix, and a sealing slug which seals the detonation mix from the propellant charge thereby preventing premature detonating of the detonation mix, said sealing slug being made of a mixture of paraflin and powdered lead which disintegrates by compression into fine particles rather than being mashed into a solid piece.

Disclosure This invention relates to the improvements in a cartridge, and more particularly concerns a cartridge having a delayed exploding projectile. The cartridge of the present invention causes two explosions: a first explosion upon firing the cartridge, and a second delayed explosion upon detonating the projectile.

Birds create a problem when they gather on the runways of airports and present a danger to jet aircraft in that they may be sucked into the jet and cause, the aircraft to crash.

Birds also create a problem to farmers by causing considerable damage to crops.

Yet, in many cases the birds are protected by law against being shot or otherwise exterminated.

Accordingly, it has been desired to provide means for chasing birds from airport runways and from crops without harming the birds.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cartridge which scares birds away from runways and crops without harming them.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, including its simplicity and economy, as well as the ease with which it may be used with a standard shotgun, will further become apparent hereinafter and in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in section of a cartridge constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of a slug which forms a part of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 3-3 which appear in FIG. 1.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the structure shown in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Turning now to the specific embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, there is shown a cartridge which comprises a cartridge case 11, a propellant charge 12 positioned in the base end of the cartridge case, and a projectile 13 positioned forwardly of propellant charge 12. Projectile 13 includes a detonation mix 14 located in its forward portion, and a fuse 15 which extends from detonation mix 14 into propellant charge 12. A slug 16 is pressed against the fuse 15 to seal detonation mix 14 and prevent any of mix 14 from seeping along fuse 15, thereby preventing premature detonation of mix 14 which would occur if the lighted fuse could prematurely contact any such seepage.

Cartridge case 11 may be a standard shotgun cartridge made of paper, plastic, or metal, and includes a cylindrical casing 17, which is seated in a cup-shaped base cap 18, a base plug 21, and a primer 22. An opening in 23 in base plug 21 extends between primer 22 and propellant charge 12 so as to provide a path for the flame from the primer.

An over-powder wad 24 having a downwardly extending rim 25 abuts the forward end of base plug 21. Wad 24 may be made of a plastic such as polyethylene or polypropylene.

- Another over-powder wad 26, which may be made of paperboard, is positioned adjacent to wad 24.

The over-powder wads 24 and 26 help trap the gases generated by the detonation of propellant charge 12. Rim 25 of wad 24 expands laterally against the inside of cylindrical casing 17 so as to prevent leakage of the expanding gases of the propellant charge along the side of projectile 13 and consequent reduction of propellant power.

Wads 24 and 26 also give support to projectile 13 so as not to distort or crumple it when the cartridge is fired.

Projectile 13 includes a cup 27 that may be made of paperboard, and has an opening 28 in its bottom through which is passed the fuse 15.

Slug 16 may be made of a mixture of 20% parafiin and powdered lead and is provided with a groove 31 in its side and bottom for easy placement of fuse 15 during assembly of the cartridge.

FIG. 2 shows slug 16 before assembly, and FIG. 1 shows slug 16 after assembly. During the cartridge assembly operation, the top of slug 16 is pressed downwardly by a ram which forces the slug material downwardly and outwardly against fuse 15 to seal detonation mix 14 against seeping along the fuse. The ram forms a depression in the top of slug 16 as is shown in FIG. 1.

A cap 32 is fastened to the interior wall of cup 27 by an adhesive 33. Wad 34, which may be made of paperboard, is positioned on top of cap 32 and cup 27, and the forward end of cylindrical casing 17 is crimped over so that wad 34 forms a moisture seal. The crimp on the end of cylindrical casing 17 may be a roll crimp as shown in FIG. 1, or it may be a star crimp.

Propellant charge 12 may be any smokeless powder, or may even be black powder.

Slug 16 includes powdered lead because it is a heavy material which increases the distance of travel of projectile 13. Slug 16 readily disintegrates and blows away if it is run over by an aircraft on an airport runway, and does not mash into a solid piece which would be undesirable on a runway.

Also, the lead of slug 16 does not interfere with radar and therefore will not cause false signals in the radar of an airport or aircraft.

In operation, the primer 22 is detonated by the firing pin of a shotgun, and the flame from the primer passes through opening 23 to ignite propellant charge 12 and cause a loud explosion which scares the birds. The gases generated by this ignition force themselves against overpowder Wad 24 and expand rim 25 against the interior surface of cylindrical casing 17 to prevent gas leakage. The gases push wads 24, 26 and projectile 13 forwardly out of cartridge case 11 into the air.

The ends of fuse 15 in charge 12 have been ignited by the explosion of propellant charge 12. The fuse burns, while projectile 13 is in the air flying towards its destination near the objectionable birds, until the burning ends reach detonation mix 14. Whereupon the detonation mix explodes and causes another loud band in the vicinity of the birds to scare them further and drive them off.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a presently preferred embodiment. Various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge with a delayed exploding projectile, comprising a cartridge case, a propellant charge positioned in the cartridge case, and a projectile positioned forwardly of the propellant charge, a detonation mix located in the forward portion of the projectile, a fuse extending from the propellant charge into the detonation mix, and sealing means for sealing the detonation mix and preventing it from seeping along the fuse, thereby preventing premature detonating of the detonation mix,

said sealing means being made of a readily disintegrating material which disintegrates by compression into fine particles rather than being mashed into a solid piece.

2. A cartridge with a delayed exploding projectile, comprising a cartridge case, a propellant charge positioned in the cartridge case, and a projectile positioned forwardly of the propellant charge, a detonation mix located in the forward portion of the projectile, a fuse extending from the propellant charge into the detonation mix, and sealing means for sealing the detonation mix and preventing it from seeping along the fuse, thereby preventing premature detonating of the detonation mix, said sealing means comprising a mixture of parafiin and powdered lead.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,593,637 4/1952 Weldin 1024l 3,062,144 11/1962 Hori et al 102-87 X BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT F. STAHL, Examiner. 

1. A CARTRIDGE WITH A DELAYED EXPLODING PROJECTILE, COMPRISING A CARTRIDGE CASE, A PROPELLANT CHARGE POSITIONED IN THE CARTRIDGE CASE, AND A PROJECTILE POSITIONED FORWARDLY OF THE PROPELLANT CHARGE, A DETONATION MIX LOCATED IN THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE PROJECTILE, A FUSE EXTENDING FROM THE PROPELLANT CHARGE INTO THE DETONATION MIX MIX, AND SEALING MEANS FOR SEALING THE DETONATION MIX AND PREVENTING IT FROM SEEPING ALONG THE FUSE, THEREBY PREVENTING PREMATURE DETONATING OF THE DETONATION MIX, SAID SEALING MEANS BEING MADE OF A READILY DISINTEGRAT- 